Walthall County, Mississippi
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Walthall County, Mississippi has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 74% of US counties. It ranks 66th of 82 counties in Mississippi. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $7.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $506 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (18 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 42 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.9 million on 233 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Walthall County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 26.3 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 79.6 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 81.6 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 36.1 | $589K | ||
| Heat wave | 51.8 | $334K | ||
| Cold wave | 29.0 | $320K | ||
| Hail | 43.9 | $170K | ||
| Drought | 51.7 | $133K | ||
| Lightning | 36.0 | $113K | ||
| Wildfire | 66.7 | $110K | ||
| Earthquake | 34.4 | $87K | ||
| Ice storm | 37.7 | $39K | ||
| Winter weather | 19.7 | $14K | ||
| Landslide | 31.4 | $281 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Walthall County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 27
Mississippi also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 204 storm reports in Walthall County since 1957, with 9 deaths and 23 injuries and about $14.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on March 15, 2025 near Kioto.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF4 | Kioto | 8 / 3 |
| Apr 12, 2020 | EF4 | Enon | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF3 | Lexie | 0 / 1 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F2 | Flowers | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 6, 2005 | F2 | Dinan | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2025 | Tornado | Kioto | $5M |
| Mar 15, 2025 | Tornado | Lexie | $5M |
| Mar 10, 2016 | Flash Flood | Dillon | $1M |
| Nov 15, 2006 | Tornado | Flowers | $500K |
| Apr 6, 2005 | Tornado | Dinan | $300K |
| Nov 18, 1957 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 6, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1855, 11 hurricanes and 32 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Walthall County, 19 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with top winds near 160 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 1969 | Camille | Category 5, 160 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 29, 2005 | Katrina | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 2, 1985 | Elena | Category 2, 105 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 16, 1855 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Category 1, 95 mph | 51 mi |
| Sep 1, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2024 | Francine | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 30, 2021 | Ida | Category 1, 85 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 19, 2021 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Category 1, 95 mph | 51 mi |
| Jun 8, 2020 | Cristobal | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 5, 2018 | Gordon | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Walthall County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Walthall County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 6,917 housing units.
Compare in Mississippi
All 82 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Hinds County | Inland flooding | |
| Harrison County | Hurricane | |
| DeSoto County | Earthquake | |
| Rankin County | Inland flooding | |
| Jackson County | Hurricane | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding | |
| Lee County | Inland flooding | |
| Forrest County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Parish, LA | 39 | |
| Pike County | 32 | |
| Lincoln County | 30 | |
| Marion County | 35 | |
| Lawrence County | 31 |
Common questions about Walthall County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Walthall County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Walthall County, about $2.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Walthall County had?
Walthall County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 18 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Walthall County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 66th highest of 82 in Mississippi. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Walthall County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Walthall County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Walthall County had?
NOAA records list 37 tornadoes in Walthall County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on March 15, 2025 near Kioto. The weather service has also logged 44 hail reports and 9 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Walthall County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 32 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Walthall County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Camille (1969), with winds near 160 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.